Permanent Present Tense: The Unforgettable Life of the Amnesic Patient, H. M.
Categories: Biographies & Memoirs, Science & Math
Neuroscientist Suzanne Corkin tells the story of Henry Molaison, known as H.M., who lost the ability to form new memories after brain surgery in 1953. Corkin studied him for almost fifty years, and his case transformed scientists' understanding of memory and the brain. She describes what his life was like, what experiments revealed about different kinds of memory, and how memory relates to identity.
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- Shane Parrish: “Permanent Present Tense: The Unforgettable Life of the Amnesic Patient Henry Molaison, by Susan Corkin. This is an interesting look at how memory is related to identity. If we can’t hold on to experiences long enough to create narratives, then what sense of self do we have? The book is a tribute to Henry, who, without knowing it, completely transformed neuroscience.”